To be or not to be in the EU: is that the question?Citizens’ consultation: an EU of democracy, fundamental rights, participation | London, Europe House (32 Smith Square, SW1P 3EU) (United Kingdom)

Many people agree the EU needs to change: but there are changes for the better and changes for the worse.

The UK government’s position regarding the EU is to promote an EU based only on a single market – to continue the opt-out of the EU charter of fundamental rights and to opt out of the European Convention on human rights, to impose barriers to the free movement of people from other parts of Europe to the UK, to try to negotiate out of all social legislation coming from the EU.

Is there another option available? Can we engage positively for an EU which better protects and promotes fundamental rights? Can we promote an EU which is more democratic and based on bottom-up participation? Can we make an EU which gives more progressive rights to workers, families and citizens in the context of economic and social crisis?

The citizens’ consultation organised in London on May 8th 2013 will try and address these questions by giving citizens’ a say on what the European Union should look like and engage them in elaborating their vision for an EU of democracy, fundamental rights and participation.

Participants will join hundreds of others who have already taken part in similar consultations all over Europe in the past three years to elaborate concrete proposals for the EU, which will be brought together in a Europe-wide Citizens’ Manifesto.